7.31.2008

While I'm waiting for my second interview, (fingers crossed), I've been advised to start gathering detailed information about the last 7 years for a (possible) security check. That way if we proceed to the next level, I'll already be one step ahead. This is a much easier task at this point in my life. I've been in Montana for the last 11 years and I've only had 3 jobs, two of them with the same employer. I applied for a job with FedEx when I was younger, they required a ten year history. I didn't even know where to begin filling out the application. I had had so many jobs and lived in so many places; I gave up before I started. Much easier now.

7.28.2008

At this point I think I have read so many personal blogs, random articles and bits of internet information on Kwajalein, I'm convinced its's not going to be a big deal.One of the requirements to get on the island is that you have to have a job lined up. Unless of course you are there to visit family or friends.I'm working on that now and my boyfriend is also trying to find work on the island so that we can both experience Kwajalein together. I'm not sure if he's motivated enough and I'm beginning to wonder if I will be going by myself; or if I would.We'll see. Tomorrow he is supposed to be providing some more information to a potential employer, we'll see what happens.I've been posting stuff to sell on Craigs List and gathering my yard sale items....I'm pretty sure I'm going one way or the other.I hope he comes with me!

7.25.2008

We're going with the assumption that this is going to happen.Mainly because if we do go, we've got a TON of stuff to deal with before then and if we don't get started we may run out of time. So for the next couple of weeks, until we know for sure, we are purging our stuff. (Whether we go or not this is a good thing!)In about two weeks, I'm going to hold the first yard sale I've ever had! Anything that doesn't sell is getting donated to one of the local charities, or several of them...(depending on how much is left.) Our friends and family are going to inherit some stuff too!We've found out that if we do go, we only get to take 1500 lbs. of stuff with us. That's 750 lbs each. Yikes!Apparently the living quarters we will be assigned to will be furnished already so the poundage will be stuff like, coffee pot, microwave, clothes (all of the sweaters, jackets, snow pants and ski equipment is now up for grabs!) books, music, computers, stuff like that. We've decided that we will keep the house and hire a rental agency to rent it out for us. It's just not worth our while to sell it in such a soft market. I'm assuming this slump will end in a few years and prices will improve and we can sell it for a decent amount of money. Right now we would only get about $10-15,000 over what we paid and that just doesn't seem worth it. If we wait a few years, we can use it as a catalyst for future endeavors. We have no idea what our next adventure will be after Kwajalein, although neither of us can quite see ourselves just coming back here to our same old lives.

7.24.2008

I am happy to report that I am making forward progress!I just finished interviewing with my potential employer and it is sounding very promising.I won't know for sure for a few more weeks; there are several other people to interview and of course regular business to address but it's looking very positive.Now all I have to do is keep from exploding until I hear back on this!

7.21.2008

I'm a little bit surprised; we told some of our family about our plans today and we were encouraged and supported all the way around.I keep expecting people to think we're crazy and tell us we shouldn't do it. I guess they are already aware of our craziness and figure they might as well support our crazy endeavors. Either that or I'm subconsciously hoping someone will try to talk me out of it, but no luck! (I don't really, I'm pretty excited about it).We got some more input on what to do with the house so that was helpful...Now all I need to do is find out more details and get this thing finalized. Then we can start taking real action.

Our current quandary is the house.We just purchased it two years ago and right now the market is soft due to all of the sub-prime mortgage hoopla. Even though our area is not directly affected, lenders have tightened their standards and housing prices are not increasing the way they were.We don't HAVE to sell, we will be able to make the payment while we are in Kwajalein but the hassles of trying to rent or leave it empty are what are weighing on us right now. If we could hang onto it for a few years and sell it when the market stabilizes or recovers, it would make more sense financially. Again, it's kind of hard to maintain from thousands of miles away.So, we're tossing around ideas.

7.20.2008

Although finding information about Kwajaleinhas been tricky, most of it is outdated or politically slanted, we have been able to determine that it certainly isn't for everyone.Being confined in basically a small town without an easy way to just hop in the car and drive somewhere for the weekend would really put a few people over the edge. (The mere fact that there aren't any cars would put a few people over)That's after you've given up (or stored) all of your posses ions and possibly (we haven't decided yet) sold your home as well.Our lifestyle is such that this isn't that hard of a decision. We don't have any kids, we're open minded, adventurous, and we really don't have anything to lose, other than missing out on the opportunity if we don't go.We already watch very little television so the lack of channels and delayed schedules wont matter to us much. (I'm sure Justin will have a few withdrawals come football season!)I'm probably going to miss having a variety of restaurants at my disposal. I guess it will force me to cook more. Not such a bad thing I suppose.Neither of us are shoppers, in fact we both pretty much despise it and do 90% of our shopping online as it is. So the only thing this will change is we'll be paying more for shipping and it will take longer to get stuff. Oh well, I'm sure there are worse things in life and besides, it's not forever.

If you had the opportunity to live and work on a tropical island, would you take it? It sounds like fun doesn't it?You could snorkeland swim in the ocean, go boating, it would be warm all the time....palm trees, blue water, what could be better?

What if I told you the island was only three-fourths mile wide and three and a half miles long? Would you still want to go? How about the fact that there are only about 2600 residents on the island?

Well, these are just a few of the things to consider and we've been going over them all.A job opportunity has come up for me in just such a location and we're going to take it! (If I get accepted that is)This blog will be a record of the entire adventure, from the decisions and sacrifices that will have to be made, traveling to the island to the actual experience of living on the island.In essence, our lives are about to completely change and this blog will record the whole thing!Hold on, we're going on an adventure!